Electric iron



Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

UNITED iL isaiasi Fica.

ELECTRIC IRON.

Application filed April 2G, 1923. Serial NQ'. 634,654.

To 1U whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Nimes l.. Iii-inruil., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Yorktown Heights, lVestchester County, and State of New York, have inventedv a new and useful Improvement in Electric irons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric irons and has for one of its important objects the provision in such a device, of a novel and improved means for retaining the resista'ince unit properly positioned Within its poclre: or channel and out of Contact vvith the baseplate without detracting from the efiiciency of the unit as a source of heat supply for the base or ironing surface of the iron.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive and improved form of guard for the external terminals to Whicn the resistance unit is electrically connected.

A further object of the invention is to so construct, arrange and proportion the various elements entering into the device ernbodying my invention as to'facilitate inexpensive manufacture and economic assembling thereof and yet provide a structure which is strong, durable and reliable in use.

Other objects and certain advantages of my invention Will become apparent from the following descriptionwhen taken in connection with the accompanying draw ings in Which Figure 1 is a plan view of an electric iron embodying my invention.

Figure 2 `is a central, vertical, longitudinal sectional vievv7 of the device embodying my invention.l 1

Figure 3 is a face vieW of the internal element carrying the heating unit.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown what I at present consider the preferred form of my invention, the numeral indicates a. base or baseplate of conventional design upon which is disposed an internal element l preferably constructed from soapstone or other suitable relatively heavy electrical insulating or dielectric material. vThis internal element is provided With a tortuous groove or channel 7 lWithin which is arranged a heating element or resistance unit'8 in the form of a coil of electric resistance vvire the opposite ends of which are electrically connected to a pair of Contact terminals one of which isvshown in Fig. 2 and is indicated by the numeral 9, these terminals being provided, as 'will be readily appreciated by those skilled'in the art to which my invention pertains, as a means for electrically connecting the iron in circuit with the house current by means of the conventional form of attachment plug, not shown. The terminals project through the heel portion of the internal element and extend an appreciable distance into a pocket 10, they being held in their respective positions by means of nuts 11 in contact With which the opposite ends ofthe heating unit 8 are maintained by lock-nuts 12.

1n order to retain the heating unit 8 Within its groove or channel 7 under all conditions, have provided a plurality of insulating strips 13 constructed from a suitable insulating material, such as transparent mica. These strips are positioned Within transverse grooves or channels 14 and are spaced from each other by means of interposed ribs 15 formed integral With the internal element 6. VViththe strips 13 positioned, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, their opposite ends are maintained in contact with the outer wall 1G of the tortuous groove or channel 7, and by reason of such they are maintained against transverse displacement, they being held against moveinent toward or away from each other by means of the interposed'transversely disposed ribs 15. It Will be readily appreciated from the construction that When the several elements of the iron are assembled, the insulating strips 13 will function under all conditions to prevent the heating unit 8 from accidently or otherwise coming in contact With the base-plate 5. It will be noted that since the insulating strips 13 are spaced an appreciable distance fromeach other, a series of openings 17 are provided which permit a certain amount of heat generated by the resistance or heating unit S to be transmitted directly to the baseplate 5 thus adding to the efi'iciency of the device in so far as transferal of heat to the base-plate 5 is concerned. It will be appreciated that by providing -strips of insulating material rather than a sheet thereof, the total area of the insulating material is relatively small as compared with the total areaof the base-plate 5, or internal element .The insulating strips 13 located at op- A imposite ends of the internal element are relatively wide as compared with the inter- I Amediate strips such being necessitated by reason of the peculiar design or contour'ot the channel 7 but in order to provide for vthe direct transfer of a maximum amount of heat to the base-plate from portions of the heating unit 8l adjacent the relatively Wide insulating strips, I have cut the same away, as shown at 17, thereby exposing certain portions of the heating element 8 which lating Washers 19. This casing is maintained in position upon the base-plate 5 and the internal element 6 by means of bolts 20 passed through openings 21 formed in the 1, internal element Which bolts are maintained in screwthread engagement with the baseplate 5 at their respective screw-threaded ends 22. `Upon the rear of the casing Aor housing 18, there is disposed a heel rest' 23 constructed from sheet metalvvvhich is bent into a U'shaped element, one leg, 24, of which is connected to the casing 18, as

shown at25; Whereas the other leg 26 is bent at an angle With respect to itself to provide anapron 27 whichLin turn, is bent at an angle With respect to itself to provide l -a Wing 28 secured to the casing 18 by means of one of the bolts 20 which also functions co-operatively .With the other bolt 20 as a means for retaining a conventional type of handle bracket 29 properly positioned` In order to provide a guard for the terminals 9, I strike up from the leg 26 atongue 30, the opposite ends of which are bent into i I a parallel relation with respect to each other toprovide Wings 31.` As will be readily appreciated, the space adorded between the handle bracket 29, the tongue 30 and the oppositely disposed Wings 31, is adapted to receive the conventional typey of attachment plug, not shown, by which the heating unit 8, as above mentioned, is placed in circuit with the house current through the terminals 9. The guard Aformed by the tongue 3() and wings 31 above mentioned/may be reinforced or strengthened lbythe provision of a bracket 32.` This bracket is preferably constructed from sheetinetal and is struck up to provide 4a tongue k34 leaving anl opening 35 adapted to receive the conventional form of attachment plug, not shown; the tongue being adapted to co-operate with the attachment plug to maintain the same co-opera-y tiyely connected -to the terminals 9. An apron 36 maintained in engagement Withthe l.upper end of the tongue 30 constitutes a 'the metal Which would normally lie. at the rear of the opening 35 from Which the tongue 34 is struck.

It will be noted that the opening 35 ,formed by striking up the tongue 34 accomodates the handle-bracket 29 lending rigidity to the bracket 32 in addition to that which is aiiordcd by reason of thefact that the upwardly projecting wing or lip portion 37 is secured to the bracket 29 and handle 38 by `Ineans'of the longitudinally disposed bolt l39 extending therethrough.`

While I have shown and described Ywhat I at present consider the preferred form oi' my invention, it is lto be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportionand arrangement of parts maybe resorted to Without Adeparting from the spirit .of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: ,l

1. An electricI iron having' an internal element provided with a passage, a heating element arranged Within said passage andmeans positioned upon the face ofsaid internal element and extending across said intei'nal element tor retaining said heating element in position Within said groove.

2. An electric iron having an internal element composed of insulating material having a groove formed therein, a heating element arranged Within said groove and insulating elements extending across and recessed into the face of said internal ele ment and overlying said heating element for retaining the same Within said groove.

3. An electric iron having an internal element of insulating material provided with a groove, a heat-ing element arranged within said groove and strips of insulating material extending across and recessed into the-face of said internal element, said strips l.of insulating material being maintained in a spaced relation and overlying said heating element to retain the same Within said groove.

4. An electric ii'on comprising an internal element provided With a groove and having a base-plate associated therewith, a heating element arranged Within said groove and a plurality of retaining elements recessed into the face of said internal element and disposed intermediate said internal element and base-plate, said retaining elements lbeing spaced from each other and disposed in an overlying relation With respect to said heating element for retaining the saine in position Within said groove. 5. An electric iron comprising an internal element constructed from insulating material and having a groove formed therein together with a plurality of channels, a vheating element arranged Within said groove and a plurality of retaining elements dis-` osed within said channels, said retaining elements being Hush with the face of said internal element and .disposed in an overlying relation with respect to said heating element for retaining the same in position within said groove.

` 6. -An electric iron comprisingv a base plate, an internal unit, a cover for said unit,

a handle bracket associated with said cover, l

a heel rest associated with said cover, said heel rest being provided with an apron cocover,

\ said base-plate, a casing for said internal said base-plate,

element, a heating element associated with said internal element, said heating element being provided with terminals, a heel rest associated with said casing, a portion of said heel rest being struck up to provide a guard for said terminals. n

8. An electric iron `-comprising a basevplate, an internal element positioned upon said base-plate, -a casing for said internal element, a heating'element associated with said internal element, said heating element being provid'ed with terminals, a heel rest associated with said casing, a portion of said heel rest being struck up to provide a tongue having opposite sides bent to provide Wings adapted to function co-operatively with said tongue as a guard for said terminals.

9. An electric iron comprising a baseplate, an internal element positioned upon au casing for said internal elementa heating element associated with -said base-plate, a casing and having an opening said internal element, said heating element bein provided with terminals, a heel rest associated With said casing, a portion of said heel rest being struck up to provide a guard for said terminals, a handle associated with said casing, a bracketassociated with said handle, said bracket being prom vided ,with an apron adapted to co-operate With said guard.

10. An electric iron comprising a baseplate, an internal element positioned upon for said internal element, a heating element associated with said internal element, said heating element being provided with terminals, a heel rest associated with said casing, a portionof said heel rest being struck up to provide a guard orsaid terminals, a handle associated with said casing, a bracket handle, said bracket being provided with an apron adapted to co-operate With said guard formed therein in alinement with said terminals.4

associated With said p 11. An electric iron comprising a basey plate, an internal element positioned upon said base-plate,'a casing for said internal element, a heating element associated with said internal element, said heating element being provided with terminals, va heel rest associated With said casing, a portion of said heel rest being struck up to provide a guard for said terminals, a handle associated with said casing, a bracket associated with said handle, said bracket being provided with an apron adapted to co-operate With said guard and having an opening formed therein in alinement with said terminals, and a tongue associated with said bracket, said. tongue being'dis osed adjacent said opening.

ln testimonyvwhereoi, ll have affixed my lsignature to this specification.

ninna i. Marrana. 

